Historically, fat storage worked well for humans. The energy was stored as small packages of molecules called fatty acids, which are released into the bloodstream for use as fuel by muscles and other organs when there was no food available, or when a predator was chasing us. Fat storage actually conferred a survival advantage in these situations. Those with a tendency to store fat were able to survive longer periods without food and had extra energy for hostile environments.

Visceral fat, commonly known as belly fat, is the layer of fat below the muscles of your abdomen. Due to its crucial location surrounding many of your vital organs, belly fat supplies a constant source of energy but also exposes the body to harmful toxins and hormones. When you have too many fat cells or your fat cells get too large, they can overproduce toxins that increase your risk for chronic inflammation, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. This is why belly fat can be more dangerous than subcutaneous fat—or the outer layer of fat that you can pinch with your fingers. That said, the reason you're having trouble buttoning your pants may not be visceral fat: what we're calling "belly fat" these days could be bloating or water retention rather than a fat buildup. Read on for steps you can take to beat the bulge.
2. Decline Bench Sit Up Ceiling Touches: This great exercise works on your shoulder, abs and lower back. Sit on the bench with the weight on your lap. As you move backwards, lock your arms and raise the weight above your body. Touch your back to the bench and use your abs to sit up. As you sit up you should keep your arms and weight pointed to the ceiling.

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Weight loss isn’t a linear event over time. When you cut calories, you may drop weight for the first few weeks, for example, and then something changes. You eat the same number of calories but you lose less weight or no weight at all. That’s because when you lose weight you’re losing water and lean tissue as well as fat, your metabolism slows, and your body changes in other ways. So, in order to continue dropping weight each week, you need to continue cutting calories.

With the body not able to use carbohydrates for energy it will begin producing ketones. Ketones are a by-product of fat oxidation and can be used as an energy source instead of carbs. With less carbs coming in insulin levels will be lower which leads to a greater rate of fat burning. As we now know, lower insulin levels are not always a good thing though.
On January 1st of this year I weighed in at 244.5lbs and knew something had to change. My husband and I moved to a mostly paleo lifestyle and I quickly lost 40lbs. By the time summer hit I was bored and cheating way too much and had even put back on some weight. At that time my sister was doing the FWTFL and had phenomenal success. I decided to join her for the August round and I started the program weighing in at 212lbs. Once I got the hang of things I fell in love with the program. Hitting my macros daily was a fun challenge for me and I loved the variety of workouts and they way they built up over time. I noticed results almost immediately, especially in the stomach area. I only missed 1 workout during the whole program and grew to love my sweat sessions each day! I weighed in today at 194.5lbs. That's 17.5lbs of fat gone. My measurements show a 17" loss. It's just mind-blowing. I'm 10lbs under my lowest weight since having kids and I haven't felt this good in years. I am so thankful for this program and for what it has taught me about how to fuel my body properly and how to push it beyond its limits. The accountability groups kept me motivated and challenged and I can't wait to start round 2 and see even more results as I stay committed to this program!
On May 22, 2017, I started the FWTFL with a little skepticism but a whole lot of determination. You see, I had tried so many different workout programs that left me discouraged. I wanted to try this program and honestly, this was my last attempt before giving up. I couldn't justify spending money on one more program, but my husband surprised me and bought if for my Mother's Day gift. I am 44 years old. I had all three of my babies after age 35 and then in 2014 was diagnosed with a rare tumor in my low back and it had grown into my hip. After surgery, I struggled with chronic pain. Within 3 months, the tumor was back and growing quickly. I had treatment which again, left me with pain and nerve damage. I honestly didn't think I would be able to workout successfully again. With a pocket full of courage and an enormous amount of faith in Amanda Tress, someone I didn't personally know, I set out on an adventure to regain my strength and health. Little did I know my life would be changed forever. The combination of healthy, whole foods, strategically scheduled workouts and tons of community support has proved to be the perfect remedy for my aching body. The chronic pain in my back and hips started to dissipate. By week 3, I couldn't believe what my body was able to do. I never thought I would do squats and lunges again but the progressive workouts allowed my body to strengthen as it healed. Yes, I can tell a physical difference in my body but as a woman that doesn't take my health for granted, the increased strength and decrease in pain has been my biggest success. I would have never believed that in 6 short weeks, I could run sprints, do walking lunges, squats with heavy weights and push up's on my toes. I will be forever grateful for the knowledge Amanda has shared with me. My life has forever been changed. Thank you is not adequate....I'm stronger, faster and healthier!
"The answer is: it depends on your metabolism," Dr. Arad told POPSUGAR. Your metabolism relates to how your body produces energy from fats, sugars, and proteins as well as how it stores energy. Your metabolic rate, the number of calories you burn in a unit of time, provides insight on whether you have a fast or slow metabolism and how much energy you burn. To determine your metabolic rate, you'll need to get a resting metabolic rate (RMR) test (typically $250, but rates will vary), which are currently offered at specialized clinics like Fitnescity.
2. Ab Plank is a great exercise to really challenge your entire core and build up your strength and endurance. The Plank works the lower abdomens, the oblique muscles and your lower back. It takes focus and concentration plus some upper body strength. Start with holding the plank position for 30- 40 seconds and build your way up. You will be amazed at how strong your cores will get by doing this exercise regularly.
Unsurprisingly, the results showed that nothing had happened to the weight of the women receiving calcium or the placebo. However, the group which took the multivitamin lost more weight – about 3 kg more – and improved their health markers. Among other things, their basal metabolic rate (the rate at which the body burns calories when at rest) increased.
That said, a Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise study found that runners lost more weight than walkers over a six-year period, possibly because of the afterburn effect. “Running at a high intensity will create an afterburn, which is when your body continues to burn calories when you’re no longer moving,” Rubin says. She suggests starting with three 30-minute runs a week, sprinting for 30 seconds then recovering for 30 seconds to a minute.

‘Lastly, if your nutrition is on point but you still have excess tummy fat, then you need to look at your training. There’s a real craze for high-intensity workouts and really pushing yourself at the moment, but training is a stress on the body, and if you’re not giving it the tools to manage that stress and recover from it, then it can lead things like excess belly fat.

1. Thermogenic fat loss supplements: These capsules are typically loaded with ingredients that help build heat in the body and increase your fat burning abilities. In a new study in Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, guys who took supps like this saw their resting metabolic rate increase by 7 to 9 percent compared to taking a placebo.
Have you ever decided to skip a meal to cut back on your daily calorie count? Despite saving a few calories in the moment, this strategy almost always backfires. When you skip breakfast, or any meal, you'll begin to experience excessive hunger that can lead to craving unhealthy foods—and lots of them. You may also eat faster than you normally do after skipping a meal, causing you to miss the warning signs that you're full and resulting in overeating.
Try interval training. This type of exercise routine can help you break up your workout without actually stopping your workout session. Interval training involves you going at an easy pace for a duration of time, and then going all out. You can also adjust the duration and pauses between the cycling back and forth. This can burn more calories and potentially increase your metabolism.[16]
Even though you are eating well and exercising, you may reach a plateau where your weight stays the same. Plateaus are mainly due to decreased resting energy expenditure (REE). When you consume fewer calories, your REE decreases, thus your body's need for energy decreases. Keep exercising and eating well to help you get through periods with no weight loss. Sometimes a plateau is the body's way of saying that you may not need to lose more weight. If you are meant to lose more weight, eventually weight loss will come as your body's metabolism catches up with your new lifestyle.
If you could only be a fly on the wall in our kitchen each night after dinner. We are both on My Fitness Pal planning our food for the next day and weighing and measuring our portions. It is fun to meal plan together. I make the meal plan on Sunday and my hubby prepares the majority of the food. Firemen sure do know how to cook! Maybe that is why I married him. 

You don’t have to nix all carbs, just make sure you’re eating the right ones. A recent study published in Plant Foods and Human Nutrition found that after 12 weeks, men who ate only whole grains lost about an inch and a half off of their belly, while those who ate only refined grains didn’t lose any. Toss the white bread and pasta and stock up on complex carbs instead.

Meal prepping takes a few hours a week, but it's worth it: By getting your meals ready ahead of time, you won't be so tempted to order your go-to Chinese takeout when you're tired and hungry after work. "When you plan an entire week of dinner in advance, you're way less likely to go off course and indulge in foods that aren't good for you," says Pamela Salzman, a certified holistic health expert and cooking instructor. And since you planned things out, you'll actually get the protein, fruit, and veggies your body needs — and you'll lose weight in the process.
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Cross-training is important for a few reasons: First off, it makes you a stronger runner and reduces your risk of injury. “Running is only hard on your joints if you don’t have the muscle to support them,” Rubin says. Secondly, lifting will help you lose weight. “The more lean muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn at rest,” she says. That's right, more muscle means more burned calories when you're just sitting around. To get started, try these 10 essential strength exercises for runners.
When you start reducing your calories to create a healthy calorie deficit, you may start to feel hungry as you adjust to your new calorie intake. You don't want to ignore physical cues of hunger such as dizziness, headaches, the inability to concentrate, and extreme fatigue, but one of the reasons people struggle to lose weight is because they don't eat satiating meals and instead allow themselves to feel hungry all day. This isn't sustainable and such restriction often ends in binge-eating or giving up.
Here's something else most people probably don't know: Fidgeting is good for you. It's considered a nonexercise physical activity, and it's an important way to burn energy. You get more health benefits if, in addition to exercising, you are a more fidgety, more active person the rest of the day. This means gesturing while you're talking, tapping your foot, just moving around.
Sleep quality matters as much as quantity, according to Gillespie. In general, an uninterrupted seven hours is better than 12 hours of tossing and turning. Of course, for new moms or others for whom sleep is hard to come by, naps are better than nothing. But if it’s possible to get your nightly sleep done in a solid block, that’s your best bet, she says.

Increase Fibre intake – One of the ways our brain determines fullness is the physical stretching of the stomach. Foods high in fibre, such as vegetables and whole-grains, help stretch out the stomach and signal to the brain that you’re full. Fibre also tends to slow down digestion – when you add in fibre to your meals, the rate at which the body digests the food takes longer. The longer this food sits in your stomach the fuller you’ll feel.

‘Lastly, if your nutrition is on point but you still have excess tummy fat, then you need to look at your training. There’s a real craze for high-intensity workouts and really pushing yourself at the moment, but training is a stress on the body, and if you’re not giving it the tools to manage that stress and recover from it, then it can lead things like excess belly fat.

Think of the typical toppings on your baked potato -- butter, sour cream, maybe cheese and bacon bits. If you substitute a sweet potato, you might not need any of that. Baked sweet potatoes are so full of flavor, they don't need a lot, unless you want to try a sprinkle of cinnamon. This can save you loads of calories. As a bonus, sweet potatoes are packed with potassium, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and fiber.
Over the past few years it has become clear that weight is an important health issue. Some people who need to lose weight for their health don't recognize it, while others who don't need to lose weight want to get thinner for cosmetic reasons. We understand that in some ways your weight is different from, for example, your cholesterol level or your blood pressure, because you can't see what these are by looking at someone. Many patients have had health care providers who approached their weight in a less-than-sensitive or helpful manner. Some patients may have had health care encounters in which they felt blamed, but not helped. Successful weight management is a long-term challenge.
The researchers hypothesize that participants who abstained from animal products dropped significantly more pounds since plant-based foods include loads of filling fiber and slow-to-digest complex carbs. Though more research is needed to confirm these results, the study authors write, "Vegetarian diets appeared to have significant benefits on weight reduction compared to non-vegetarian diets."

"Refined grains like white bread, crackers, and chips, as well as refined sugars in sweetened drinks and desserts increase inflammation in our bodies," says Patton. "Belly fat is associated with inflammation, so eating too many processed foods will hinder your ability to lose belly fat." Natural foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are full of antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory properties and may therefore actually prevent belly fat, Patton says.

REALITY: Fats and carbs both play a role in fat loss. Fats are responsible for hormone production, joint lubrication, and many other important health and muscle-building factors. Dropping your fats too low could compromise your health and your goals. Everyone's body and metabolism is different, so it's crucial to know how many grams of healthy fat you need to eat for a balanced nutrition regimen.

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It's the age-old question: How many sets do you need, and how much time should you spend in the gym each day? The answer varies from person to person, but when burning fat is the primary goal, a good rule of thumb is to train until you're pretty beat up, but not to the point at which you're flattened and thoroughly exhausted. That type of kamikaze training may satisfy your pysche, but it does a number on your anabolic hormones.
1. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): This type of exercise is your key to melting belly fat fast. HIIT is highly effective for all over weight loss, particularly removing stubborn belly fat. If you are not eating right, you have reached menopause or you are not losing weight you should do these exercises. Don’t let the name scare you as it is you who determines the intensity. It is your perceived exertion that counts.

Watching that extra junk around your trunk turn your body into a full-blown Buddha belly puts you at an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and early death. Luckily, losing the weight doesn’t have to take forever; with these 22 belly fat-fighting tips, you can shave two inches off your waistline in as little as two weeks. Think your age will stand in the way of your weight loss? The 20 Ways to Lose Your Belly When You’re Older will help folks of any age get on track to their best body ever.

Of course, not all carbohydrates are equal. In short, fast-digesting carbs tend to create a large insulin burst, leading to more potential fat gain. These carbs include white bread, most cold cereals, any sweets, rice cakes, white rice, and white potatoes. Conversely, slow-digesting carbs (found in whole-grain breads, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and legumes) don't cause much of an insulin rise, so these should make up the vast majority of your carb consumption.
Parsley has many, many health benefits, including reducing effects of diarrhoea, improving digestion, regulating the menstrual cycle and increasing the rate of urination, which means that more matter is expelled from the body, including more calories and thus reducing weight loss. The diuretic aspect of parsley juice also means that it detoxifies the body faster than other drinks, and acts as an appetite suppressant making you feel fuller than you are.
We now know that this type of fat, called visceral fat, is metabolically active and churns out stress hormones like cortisol and inflammatory substances called cytokines that affect you body’s production of insulin. The result is worse than just being generally overweight; you’re looking at increased risks of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, some cancers, and even dementia.
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This is ratio of weight in kilograms to the square of height in meters. This parameter helps doctors judge whether the person will suffer from heart disease or strokes. Those having a BMI of 25-29.9 are considered overweight and those with a BMI of 30 are considered obese. However, this parameter is not always accurate in measuring belly fat. In fact, you can measure your belly fat with a measuring tape in front of the mirror, and set your own targets to reduce belly fat. Looking at the mirror and checking regularly will motivate you to lose the unhealthy fat lining your abdomen.
GH not only increases fat-burning but is required to build mass and strengthen the immune system. Yet carbs put a damper on GH release, so it's ideal to go to bed under one of two scenarios: on an empty stomach, or, even better, having consumed only protein, no carbs. This allows blood glucose—the high-tech name for digested carbs circulating in the blood—to remain low, which facilitates the rise in nocturnal GH production.
The normal fat cell exists primarily to store energy. The body will expand the number of fat cells and the size of fat cells to accommodate excess energy from high-calorie foods. It will even go so far as to start depositing fat cells on our muscles, liver and other organs to create space to store all this extra energy from calorie-rich diets – especially when combined with a low activity lifestyle.

Tight deadlines, bills, your kids—whatever your source of stress, having too much of it may make it harder for you to drop unwanted pounds, especially from your middle. And it's not just because you tend to reach for high-fat, high-calorie fare when you're stressed, though that's part of it. It's also due to the stress hormone cortisol, which may increase the amount of fat your body clings to and enlarge your fat cells. Higher levels of cortisol have been linked to more visceral fat.

You can read all the “TOP 10 FAT LOSS HACKS YOU AREN’T DOING” articles you want, or stare at motivational quotes by some famous dead person plastered across a pair of random abs or glutes – but until you realise that change depends on you getting off your ass and doing something, nothing’s going to happen because your fat loss is down to you actually wanting to make a change.
I am 56 years old. For the past several years I have put everyone in my family needs before my own. I work 2 jobs and have very few days off. I am overweight, always tired and have lots of pain. I have tried about every diet out there without any long term success. 7 weeks ago, a friend told me about this program. I deduced to make an investment in myself. I can't believe the amazing results. Almost immediately I had more energy, had better more restful sleep and my appetite has been reset. I now know when I am actually hungry. This plan of carbon cycling, intermittent fasting and workouts are so effective. I lost 14.2 pounds and 17.25 inches. But I gained a new appreciation of myself and that is totally worth the investment. This is not a fad diet for me...it is my new and improved way of life. Thanks Amanda for giving me my life back.
Some studies have shown that a protein shake consumed immediately after training can produce up to 25 times higher levels of protein synthesis when compared to a protein shake that is consumed 3 hours post workout. This shows how important it is to get this shake in right away. Since timing is so important in the post workout state it is important to choose a protein that is quickly digested.
Your body needs protein to maintain lean muscle. In a 2006 article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers argued that the current recommended daily intake for protein, 0.36 grams per pound of body weight, is woefully inadequate for anyone doing resistance training and recommend that women get between 0.54 and 1 gram per pound of body weight. (If you want to lose weight, use your goal body weight as your guide.)
In a nutshell: the plan uses 6 days of ketosis – when your body burns fats for energy – followed by 1 day of carbohydrate loading along with constant toxin binding supplements to help your body get rid of the released toxins. This protocol isn’t low-calorie, and you don’t run the same risk of causing metabolic problems that you do when you follow a low-calorie diet.
I just finished my first round of the FWTFL and I could not be more pleased with my transformation....emotionally, mentally and physically. This is the first time since I was 16 that I have felt true freedom and enjoyment with food. I have embraced the intermittent fasting and carb cycling lifestyle and I just can't imagine doing anything else. I was desperate for something sustainable...something that taught me how to eat and enjoy REAL food ( not rely on shakes or bars)...something that would help me maximize my time at the gym. This program has encompassed everything that I needed and some stuff I didn't realize I needed :)
In addition to fat, you need to eat nourishing foods so you’re not hungry. When certain nutrient levels like iron, zinc, or B12 drop, your brain signals you to eat everything under the sun until you get it. (Really, look up pica. People with iron deficiency have turned to chewing on toilet paper to get it. Your brain doesn’t know that TP doesn’t have iron. It just tells you to keep eating until you run into iron.[3])
It turns out that capsaicin, the compound that gives chile peppers their heat, can also fire up your metabolism. Eating about 1 tablespoon of chopped peppers (red or green) boosts your sympathetic nervous system (responsible for your fight-or-flight response), according to a study published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology. The result: a temporary metabolism spike of about 23 percent. Stock up on chile peppers to add to salsas, and keep a jar of red-pepper flakes on hand for topping pizzas, pastas, and stir-fries.
One study from the University of Adelaide in Australia suggests you may lose more weight when you work out towards the end of your menstrual cycle, as opposed to right when a new one begins. That’s because the hormones estrogen and progesterone tell your body to use fat as an energy source. "Women burned about 30 percent more fat for the two weeks following ovulation to about two days before menstruation," study author Leanne Redman says.
EFAs stand for Essential Fatty Acids. Just as the name implies EFAs are essential to the human body because play a role in many different biological processes. Essential fatty acids differ from others fats in that they cannot be synthesized within the human body. This means that EFAs must be consumed through the diet. If not enough EFAs are consumed the body will sense that it does not have the nutrients that it needs to function properly. As a result it will essentially “hold on to” body fat. This is just one of the reasons EFAs are so important though.
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Are you like Old Faithful when it comes to your morning walk or evening jog? Know this: The more you do an activity, the more your body adapts to it, so you burn fewer calories. If you want to light a fire under your metabolism, consider cross-training. For example, if you normally walk, try biking instead. "Since you're not used to working all those different muscles, it's a more intense workout, which can translate into a greater metabolic after-burn because your body is working harder to recover and get oxygen to all your tissues," says Carol Espel, M.S., an exercise physiologist for Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York City.
If you need to reduce calories, start by reducing your fat intake. Keep your carbohydrate and protein consumption as high as possible for as long as possible to maintain your energy. Just don't let your total fat intake dip below 10 percent of your total daily calories. Having fewer fats than that in your diet can harm your performance, recovery, muscle maintenance, and testosterone production.
Rather than a long and low-intensity cardio workout, try the HIIT method of cardio: intense, fast-paced intervals that leave you completely exhausted after only a 20- to 30-minute session. This form of cardio training increases the afterburn effect, allowing your body to continue burning calories long after your workout is over. You can rotate between 30 seconds of your favorite exercises, with rest in between, as long as they work different muscle groups—such as squats, push-ups and kettlebell swings.
I just want to point out that it’s not necessary for people with a high level of body fat to go low carb, and as long as there is a calorie deficit in place, you will lose fat. However, from experience, people with high levels of body fat (20%+) tend to fare much better restricting carbohydrates initially. Their energy levels tend to stabilise, they feel less lethargic, cravings subside, and due to the water loss from going low carb, it acts as a motivator as they see results from the get go.
Shaping is a behavioral technique in which you select a series of short-term goals that get closer and closer to the ultimate goal (e.g., an initial reduction of fat intake from 40 percent of calories to 35 percent of calories, and later to 30 percent). It is based on the concept that "nothing succeeds like success." Shaping uses two important behavioral principles: (1) consecutive goals that move you ahead in small steps are the best way to reach a distant point; and (2) consecutive rewards keep the overall effort invigorated.
Virtual gastric band uses hypnosis to make the brain think the stomach is smaller than it really is and hence lower the amount of food ingested. This brings as a consequence weight reduction. This method is complemented with psychological treatment for anxiety management and with hypnopedia. Research has been conducted into the use of hypnosis as a weight management alternative.[17][18][19][20] In 1996 a study found that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) was more effective for weight reduction if reinforced with hypnosis.[18] Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ACT, a mindfulness approach to weight loss, has also in the last few years been demonstrating its usefulness.[21]
"When going out for fast food, I used to get the large-size value meal. Now, I satisfy a craving by ordering just one item: a small order of fries or a six-piece box of chicken nuggets. So far, I've shaved off 16 pounds in seven weeks, and I'm on track to being thinner than my high school self for my 10-year reunion later this year." —Miranda Jarrell, Birmingham, AL
Women who wake up and go to bed at the same time each day have lower levels of body fat, according to a study of more than 300 women from Brigham Young University in Utah. Chaotic sleep habits cause your internal clock to go haywire, which in turn causes your body to secrete fat-storing hormones like cortisol. The sweet spot? Try not to stray an hour from your usual sleep pattern, the study authors say. More than a 90-minute difference in sleep and wake times were linked to more body fat. (Tossing and turning? Check out these 100 tips to sleep better every night.)

At weigh-in this morning, I had to check twice... I lost 19.4lbs, and 18.5 inches. I gained confidence and a clear mind. I am so motivated to keep going with this completely sustainable lifestyle, I seriously feel better than I ever have in my adult life. Thank you Amanda for this program. Thank you for introducing me to the women in our group, and to this way of life.

Are you like Old Faithful when it comes to your morning walk or evening jog? Know this: The more you do an activity, the more your body adapts to it, so you burn fewer calories. If you want to light a fire under your metabolism, consider cross-training. For example, if you normally walk, try biking instead. "Since you're not used to working all those different muscles, it's a more intense workout, which can translate into a greater metabolic after-burn because your body is working harder to recover and get oxygen to all your tissues," says Carol Espel, M.S., an exercise physiologist for Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York City.

Cross-training is important for a few reasons: First off, it makes you a stronger runner and reduces your risk of injury. “Running is only hard on your joints if you don’t have the muscle to support them,” Rubin says. Secondly, lifting will help you lose weight. “The more lean muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn at rest,” she says. That's right, more muscle means more burned calories when you're just sitting around. To get started, try these 10 essential strength exercises for runners.

It’s a little counterintuitive, but consuming calories after you’ve just burned them appears to be vital to fat-burning. Your muscles need a combo of protein and carbs to replenish energy stores and build new muscle. In one study, people who downed a 270-calorie shake with 24 grams of protein and 36 grams of carbs after their workout lost about four more pounds of fat and built more lean muscle than those who didn’t refuel post-exercise. Eating protein after a workout may help with lean muscle gains and could also help to prevent overeating later in the day, says Lesli Bonci, RD, a nutritionist and owner of Active Eating Advice. Find out what fitness instructors eat post-workout.